Baby Name Meanings · Nature, Place and Word Names
Animal Names for Babies
Across 28 pages
of 28
Raicho
Japanese
"Thunderbird"
Japanese feminist Raicho Hiratsuka chose the name Raicho for herself - no doubt because of its fabulously meaning. As a journalist and publisher, Raicho fought for the rights of working class women…
Raleigh
English
"meadow of deer"
An attractive North Carolina unisex place name, Raleigh's soft sound is particularly appropriate for a girl.
Re'em
Hebrew
"oryx"
Revna
Old Danish, Faroese
"raven"
This ancient Viking-era name is a fresh alternative to Raven.
Rima
Arabic; Lithuaniian
"white antelope; to calm down, to quieten"
Nature girl played by Audrey Hepburn in "Green Mansions," it now has an old-style bohemian feel.
Rooster
English animal name
"roosting bird"
Rosamund
German
"horse protection"
This lovely, quintessentially British appellation, also spelled Rosamond, is the name of a legendary twelfth-century beauty. Rare on these shores, it is more than worthy of importation. There was a…
Rudy
German, short form of Rudolph
"famous wolf"
Rudy hasn't yet enjoyed the comeback of cousin name Ruby, despite having been chosen by hip couple Sadie Frost and Jude Law, but it still could happen. Rudy has a lot going for it as a…
Orpah
Hebrew
"fawn or gazelle"
Old Testament name of the daughter-in-law of Naomi, now eclipsed by the originally misspelled Oprah. Oprah Winfrey may have made her name more famous than this original Biblical version, but no baby…
Oprah
Variation of Orpah, Hebrew
"fawn or gazelle"
The misspelling that created an indelibly one-person name. And we mean that literally: Despite Oprah Winfrey's fame and appeal, there were no baby girls named Oprah last year, OR Orpah. The Biblical…
Ruslan
Slavic from Turkic
"lion"
A fairly common name in many Slavic countries, especially Russia – perhaps in part because it sounds close to the name of the country, although the two words are unrelated etymologically. The name…
Rym
Arabic
"white gazelle"
Rym is one of those simple-yet-uncommon names that's extremely rare in the US , where no baby girls were given the name last year. But it certainly can travel anywhere.
Sacagawea
Native American
"bird woman"
Sacagawea (or, sometimes, Sakakawea or Sacajawea) was a Lemhi Shoshone woman who was instrumental to the Lewis and Clark Expedition across what is now the western part of the USA. She traveled…
Salmon
Animal name
"salmon, a fish"
nature names are in, and even fish names like Pike and Salmon are open for consideration.
Scorpio
Latin
"scorpion"
Of all the astrological names —think Leo, Aries, Gemini— Scorpio probably has the most dramatically potent presence, which could prove something of a burden to a young boy. In the soap…
Seal
English word and nature name
Projects the sleek and playful image of the aquatic mammal, plus that of the striking British-born Brazilian/Nigerian/Afro-Caribbean singer (born Sealhenry).
Selket
Egyptian
"(she who) tightens the throat, (she who) causes the throat to breathe"
Also spelled Selqet, Serket and Serqet, Selket was the Ancient Egyptian goddess of the scorpions and of magic. She was a helpful goddess and protected souls on their journey to the afterlife. She is…
Sephora
French variation of Tziporah, Hebrew
"bird"
This lovely name is a softened French version of Tziporah, the biblical wife of Moses. Unfortunately, in the US, it's become attached to the cosmetics franchise. The brand Sephora claims to have…
Sequoia
Native American, Cherokee
"sparrow"
This name of a giant tree, itself named for a nineteenth-century Cherokee who invented a way to write his tribe's language, makes a strong, stately statement.
Shashi
Indian, Sanskrit, Nepali
"moon, having a hare"
Shashi is an Indian name for the moon, giving it a shimmering quality, but its literal meaning translates to "having a hare." In India, a hare is a common image to see in the moon.